page_title: Foster Friess
section_title: Political activism
hierarchical_section_title: Foster Friess / Political activism
caption_attribution_description: English: Excerpt from an ad supporting Rick Santorum run by Foster Friess in the Rice Lake Chronotype (WI) March 28 and April 1, 2012
context_page_description: Foster Stephen Friess is an American businessman and supporter of conservative and evangelical Christian causes. He was a Republican candidate in the 2018 Wyoming gubernatorial election who lost in the primary to State Treasurer Mark Gordon.
  In a 2001 article, BusinessWeek suggested Friess "may be the longest-surviving successful growth-stock picker, having navigated markets for 36 years, in his own firm since 1974." In 1999, CNBC dubbed Foster one of the "century’s great investors." In June 2018, Forbes named Friess among the 10 Greatest Fund Managers of the generation, along with Warren Buffett and John Templeton.
context_section_description: Friess has been an active patron of religious and conservative causes. He donated $250,000 to Rick Santorum's re-election campaign in 2006, and at least that amount to the Republican Governors' Association.
  He was instrumental in keeping the political campaign of 2012 presidential hopeful Rick Santorum alive by financing a super PAC, the Red, White and Blue Fund, which ran television advertisements on behalf of Santorum, who was unable to run a television campaign with his own funds. According to campaign filings with the Federal Election Commission, Friess's contributions to the Red, White and Blue Fund amounted to more than 40% of its total assets, or $331,000 as of December 31, 2011.
  In the wake of the 2012 New Hampshire Republican primary, and before the South Carolina primary, Friess told Politico that he was "putting together a challenge grant to encourage other wealthy donors to give to the Red, White and Blue Fund, ... he said [the fund] received a $1 million check" the day after the New Hampshire vote.  The million-dollar donation was conveyed in four checks between November 2011 and January 2012.
  In addition to Santorum's faith, pro-life stance, and hawkish foreign policy leanings, the possibility of defeating incumbent President Barack Obama was a major component of Friess's decision to back Santorum's campaign. Friess reportedly considered major contributions to American Crossroads, the Superpac founded by  Republican National Committee chair Ed Gillespie and former George W. Bush White House strategist Karl Rove.
  Friess also donated $100,000 to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker to help defeat the Democrats' recall effort in 2011. He has reportedly invested more than $3 million in conservative commentator Tucker Carlson's The Daily Caller website. At one of the semi-annual, private seminars held by the Koch brothers in June 2011, Friess was recognized for his donation exceeding $1 million to the Kochs' political activities.
  While being interviewed by NBC correspondent Andrea Mitchell regarding contraception, Friess said, "And this contraceptive thing, my gosh, it's so – it's such – inexpensive, you know, back in my days, they used Bayer Aspirin for contraception. The gals put it between their knees and it wasn't that costly."
  Friess is also an advisor to Turning Point USA, a conservative youth group which he donated seed money to.
  In October 2017, Friess said he was exploring a possible candidacy for the Senate challenging Wyoming Senator John Barrasso for the Republican nomination. “When Steve Bannon asked me to run for Senate, it was the first serious request I’ve ever received, and I have committed to him to take time to explore it.” “I only wish I were running against someone other than John Barrasso, for whom I have the utmost respect.” However, in April 2018, he instead decided to enter the crowded Republican field to replace term-limited Governor Matt Mead. Friess was defeated in the primary, coming second to State Treasurer Mark Gordon by 38,951 votes (33%) to 29,842 (25.3%).
caption: Excerpt from a pro-Santorum newspaper advertisement funded by Friess ahead of the 2012 Wisconsin primary
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